In Which a Librarian asks a Talented Author a Small Number of Questions:
Alka Joshi is the internationally bestselling author of the Jaipur Trilogy: The Henna Artist, The Secret Keeper of Jaipur and soon to be released (March 28, 2023) The Perfumist of Paris. Her novels are beautifully written whose storylines completely immerse your mind, body and soul through the characters and imagery. I love her writing process--whenever the mood strikes. We are so thankful she was able to take time out of her busy schedule for us to get to know her by answering our questions.
If you were a dewey number, which one would you be and why?
808 - Writing, Getting Published, Style Manuals, Public Speaking
If you were to come back in another life as one of your characters, which one would you choose?
I would choose my protagonist in The Henna Artist, Lakshmi. She’s so wise. She always knows how to accomplish what she needs so indirectly that the other party isn’t even aware of what she’s done. So strategic!
Do you have a stack of "to be read" books and what would we see on that stack (or what are your favorite reads)?
Always! Right now, it’s Donna Tartt’s The Little Friend, Jasmin Darznik’s The Bohemians, and Olivier Bernier’s Fireworks at Dusk: Paris in the 1930s
I have read that there will be a screen adaptation of The Henna Artist from Netflix, are you able to be a part of that process at all such as making sure your characters are portrayed correctly?
If I’d had screenwriting chops, I would have loved participating in the creative process and write scripts for The Henna Artist episodic series. Sadly, I don’t have any such experience— it’s so different from writing novels. I’m confident that my production team of Freida Pinto, Michael Edelstein, and Miramax TV as well as Netflix will do an outstanding job portraying the characters and the story of The Henna Artist to everyone’s delight.
Do you think you will continue with a series for your next novel or do the ideas just come together as you are writing and you find yourself continuing on with the story?
I’m writing my fourth novel now and it does not relate to the Jaipur Trilogy. It takes place in India and Europe in 1937. It’s part drama and part mystery. I can’t wait for readers to put their hands on that one!
Thank you so much for answering our questions. I can't wait to read the last chapter of the Jaipur Trilogy (and upcoming novels)!